Abstract

As a person living with Trichotillomania (TTM), I pluck out excessive amounts of my hair for emotional relief.

Not much is known about TTM, a behavioural disorder and part of the OCD spectrum, and its causes. As such, cases are underreported as many feel the shame of coming forward with the issue. Not to mention the feelings of shame, anger and disappointment a hair puller feels over the their lack of control over their impulses impacting their social lives and mental health. Lastly, the lack of awareness about the issue also makes it difficult for research to be done on it sparking tensions between therapy methods and feelings of the patient.

In response to these limitations, my FYP aims to explore how an illustrated graphic memoir can offer an account my personal experiences living with the condition and to spread awareness and understanding on the condition.

Consultation summary 21 0ct

To look into:

Social perception

  1. How people see you
  2. what decision did you make because of this
  3. what do they make you feel

Personal Mindset

  1. okay it is that I’m not cured
  2. this is how i see life
  3. there needs to be a take away
  4. some sort of insight into your stance
  5. did it affect you? what did you for?

Analysing readings

  1. what learning did this person achieve reflection
  2. struggle to fit or not fit

Possible directions

  1. state of mind -> emotional states -> cut between reality and mental states
  2. not offering solutions -> but how i coped with it
  3. How I normalise myself

your patient story

HOW DO YOU FEEL? long term solutions?

  1. that narrative -> me coping with Trichotillomania
  2. how do you fight that urge -> how do you manage that
  3. how to you visual like the urge to pull?
  4. triggers -> how do I feel about them?
  5. Cutting one’s hair & concerns
  6. pondering about solutions
  7. how does it make you feel shows the tension of therapy and the feelings of the patient
  8. because of all this things this is why you never seek -> autobiographical

  9. webpage vs book -> easy accessibility -> what does it aims to achieve -> advocate -> create awareness -> character 

  10. character -> how the world look at you -> yourself ->irony and contradictions about living with Trich

FYP not about advocacy -> more about accounting experience

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Artist References:

Edward Hopper

unsettling quietness and loneliness through layout and muted colours

Chang Jinchao

  1. Metaphorical  storytelling: putting on characters
  2. Metaphor -> how you see the world looks at you